Reog Ponorogo, East Java

One hallmark of cultural arts district of East Java is the art Ponorogo Reog Ponorogo. Reog, often identified with the black world, thug or hero, and also inseparable from the world of mystical and supernatural powers. Reog pembarong show courage in raising peacocks suddenly weighing about 50 pounds with dental bite force throughout the show lasts. Instruments retinue, kempul, tap, kenong, handheld, ketipung, angklung and especially salompret, voice tone that gave rise pelog slendro and mystical atmosphere, unique, exotic and uplifting. One group Reog usually consists of a Warok Tua, a number of young warok, pembarong and dancers Bujang Ganong and King Kelono Suwandono. Total reog group ranged between 20 to 30 people, the main role is in the hands warok and pembarongnya.

 A pembarong, should have extra strength. He must have a good jaw strength, to withstand the bite load "sudden Peacock" ie a form of a tiger's head adorned with hundreds of strands of peacock feathers that weigh two meters can achieve an 50-kilogram during the show. It is said that supernatural forces are often used pembarong to add this extra power, one of them by way of using the implant, the neck pembarong. To become pembarong not enough by a strong body. A pembarong also be equipped with something called the pembarong with the revelation that believed the pembarong as something very important in their lives. Without the blessed revelation, which displayed a pembarong dance will not appear graceful and pleasant to watch. However, the perception misitis pembarong now shifted and is mostly done with a rational approach.   

Legend Story Reog

Reog used as a means to collect mass and an effective communication channel for the rulers at that time. Ki Ageng Mirah and then make a legendary story about the Kingdom Bantaranangin which by most people Ponorogo trusted as history. Duke Muslim Batorokatong Barongan also utilize it to spread Islam. Lions name later changed to Reog Barongan, which comes from the word Riyoqun, which means Khusnul khatimah meaningful despite all his life wallowing in sin, but when finally realized and devoted to God, then heaven guarantee. Furthermore reog art continues to grow in line with the times. The story continues to retell the story of creation reog Ki Ageng Mirah who passed mouth to mouth, from generation to generation.

According to legend Reog or Barongan originated from the story of Ki Ageng Demat Flea Suryonggalan who want to satirize the King of Majapahit, Brawijaya V. King The King at that time often did not meet its obligations because it is too influenced and controlled by the empress. Therefore made of leather Barongan kingpin tiger (Java Tiger) who rides the peacock. The King is represented as a peacock while riding the tiger symbolizes the empress. In addition, for insinuation is safe, Ki Ageng protect it with trained troops, reinforced by the powerful ranks of the warok mandraguna. In the reign of the Duke of Roxburgh Batorokatong who ruled about 500 years ago, reog began to develop into folk art. Duke companion named Ki Ageng Mirah use reog to expand his power.

Reog refers to several Chronicle, One of them is a chronicle Kelana Sewandana. Babad Klana Sewandana said to be the original standard of performance art reog. Similar stories in legend Lara Bondowoso Jongrang, Klono Sewondono Chronicle also tells about the love of a king, Sewondono of the Kingdom Jenggala, which almost rejected by the Goddess Sanggalangit of the Kingdom of Kediri. The princess asked Sewondono to bring the entire contents of the forest to the palace as a dowry. In order to meet the demand of the princess, must beat Sewandono forest watchman, Singa Barong (sudden peacock). But it is certainly not easy. The warok, soldier, and governor of Jenggala also become victims. Armed with heirloom Samandiman whip, Sewondono down itself to the scratch and beat Singobarong. Reog illustrated with dance performances soldiers who not only dominated the men but also women, motion bringasan the warok, and dashing and high-profile Sewandana costume, the king of love seekers.

Another version in Reog Ponorogo take Panji stories. The story revolves around King Kelana Sewandana journey to find her hero, accompanied by his patih hussar and a loyal, Pujangganong. When the choice fell on the daughter of the King of Kediri, Dewi Sanggalangit, the goddess gives the condition that he would accept his love when the King was willing to create a new art. From there it created Reog Ponorogo. Reyog letters represent a future letter words in the song macapat Pocung which reads: Taste ballad / soul Ingwang adiluhung / Yang Widhi / Sports kridaning Gustavo / degree roll kersaning Kang Almighty. Mystical element is a spiritual force that gives breath to the art Reog Ponorogo.

Warok

Warok until now still have a place as an elder in the community. Proximity to the spiritual world often make a warok asked his advice on the grip or the tranquility of the spiritual life. A warok supposedly have mastered what is called Reh Kamusankan True, true humanity road.

 Warok is a force that relies on the truth in the battle between good and evil in the story reog art. Old is guidance as Warok figures, while Warok Young is still in its early stages warok study. Until now, Warok perceived as a figure who cast must have certain supernatural powers. Even some bad stories about life warok. Warok is the figure with the stereotype: wearing shorts, dressed in black, his supernatural powers and elders gemblakan.Menurut warok, Kasni Gunopati or known Mbah Wo Cats, warok not a arrogant because of its strengths. Warok is a person who has a holy determination, ready to provide guidance and protection with no strings attached. "It comes from the word Warok wewarah. Warok is wong kang wewarah wealthy. That is, a person becomes warok being able to give guidance or instruction to others about the good life "." Warok iku wong kang wus full saka sakabehing behavior, lan wus menep ing sense "(Warok is a person who has been perfect in his behavior, and until in settling the mind).

Conditions became Warok

Warok must run behavior. "Condition, the body must be clean because it will be filled. Warok should be able to rein in its passions, hunger or thirst, nor come into contact with women. Other requirements, a candidate must provide a warok rooster, 2.5 meters cloth, mats, and salvation together. After that, candidates will warok kanuragan forged by a variety of science and mysticism. Having declared the master of science, he then confirmed as a true warok. He obtained a weapon called the drawstring will, like long white rope, weapons are the warok. Warok true at the present time only the legend remains. Some groups warok in certain areas there are those who hold fast to their culture and are still viewed as someone who is elder and respected, sometimes even government officials always ask for his blessing.

Gemblakan

  

In addition to all the requirements that must be lived by those warok, hereinafter referred to as Gemblakan appear. Formerly known for its many gemblak warok, namely men aged 12-15 years a dozen years berparas handsome and well groomed and maintained as kelangenan, which sometimes is more cherished than his wife and son. Maintaining gemblak is a tradition that has been deeply rooted in the community of artists reog. For a warok it is normal and socially acceptable. It is said that fellow warok never collide gemblak supernatural powers to fight a craving and besides it sometimes happens gemblak borrowing. Costs incurred for a gemblak warok not cheap. When gemblak school must maintain the warok the purposes of school finance in addition to feed and shelter. Whereas if gemblak not in school then every year warok give a cow. In the tradition brought by Ki Ageng Suryongalam, magic can be obtained if a warok not willing to have sex with women. It was said to be a necessity that comes from the teacher's command to obtain supernatural powers.

The obligation to maintain any warok gemblak believed to be able to maintain its miracle. In addition there are strong beliefs among warok, intimate relationship with a woman even with his own wife, can fade the whole magic warok. Mutual love, cherish and try to please is a characteristic of the special relationship between gemblak and waroknya. Practice gemblakan among warok, identified as homosexual practices because warok must not spit lust to women.

Currently, it has been a shift in relation to gemblakan. In the present gemblak difficult to find. Tradition maintains gemblak, there are more faded. Gemblak the first regular role as a dancer Jatilan (kuda lumping), its role is now being replaced by young women. Whereas formerly the arts to be displayed without a woman.

Reog in the present

 Artists Reog Ponorogo graduates of art schools also provide touch on the development of dance reog ponorogo. Art school student of the stage and introduced the art of aesthetic movements koreografis, then be reog ponorogo with festivals such as the current format. There is a story line, the sequence of whom appear first, namely Warok, then Jatilan, Bujangganong, Klana Sewandana, then Barongan or sudden Peacock at the end. When one of these elements in action, other elements come to move or dance, though not prominent. Several years ago the Foundation initiated the founding of Reog Ponorogo Reog Society archipelago, whose members consist of reog groups from various regions in Indonesia who had taken part in the National Reog Festival. Reog ponorogo be very open to enrichment and changes in range of motion.